Showing results for "After the Fire" in Small Town & Rural

Barnes, the supervisor of a Hot Shot wildfire suppression crew, is haunted by the season past, when many members of his dedicated, young team were killed in a Colorado forest fire that went all wrong, scorching the Hot Shots as they fled, some as they struggled into their fire shelters. He wakes each morning in the presence of their ghosts as they proceed across his bedroom or assemble at his kitchen table, their eyes asking questions that he cannot answer.

I learned at a young age to trust no one, protect myself, and guard my heart—all lessons my mother burned into me. She may not have had much to offer in the way of help, but she poured all she had into me and made me the independent woman I am today. So, after laying her to rest, I packed my belongings and moved to the place she talked about often, where she enjoyed the carefree pleasures of childhood.